Page 7 of Emerald Treats
Chapter 4
Saige
Iwalked into the shop, my eyes widening with delight as I took in the Halloween decorations that Fischer, Sloane, and Cam had put up. My heart swelled with love and appreciation for my mates. They knew how much I adored this holiday, and even though it wasn't necessarily their cup of tea, they had gone all out to make it special for me.
The long wooden bar counter, which was usually the centerpiece of our cozy shop, had been transformed into a spooky masterpiece. Intricately carved pumpkins lined the edge, their flickering candlelight casting eerie shadows across the polished surface. Fake cobwebs were draped artistically from corner to corner, with plastic spiders nestled within their gossamer strands.
In the center of the bar, a massive cauldron overflowed with an assortment of Halloween candy, surrounded by an arrangement of twisted, gnarled branches painted black and adorned with tiny orange lights. Hanging from the ceiling above were dozens of paper bats, swaying gently in the breeze from the open door.
I couldn't help but grin as I pictured Sloane reluctantly contributing, because I know he probably whined the whole time. But, despite his grumbling, I knew he had done it just to see me smile.
As I admired their handiwork, I felt overwhelmed with gratitude. How lucky was I to have such amazing mates who would go to these lengths just to make me happy? Even if they didn't share my enthusiasm for Halloween, they understood how important it was to me and had put in the effort to create this magical atmosphere.
Lost in my thoughts, I barely noticed the shop door opening until I felt a familiar presence behind me. Turning around, I found myself face-to-face with Bram, his amber gold eyes twinkling with amusement as he took in my awestruck expression.
"Well, little witch," he said, a smile playing on his freckled face, "I see the others have been busy."
I nodded, unable to contain my excitement. "Isn't it wonderful? They did all this for me!"
Bram's gaze softened as he looked at me, and he reached out to tuck a strand of my deep red hair behind my ear. "Of course they did, Saige. We'd do anything to see that beautiful smile of yours."
My heart fluttered at his words, and I leaned into his touch, savoring the moment. As I stood there with Bram, surrounded by the festive decorations and filled with love for my mates, I couldn't help but think that this Halloween was going to be the best one yet.
As Bram and I stood admiring the Halloween decorations, the shop door burst open with a bang. Faris bounded in, his eyes sparkling with excitement and his arms laden with shopping bags.
"I've got them! I've got them all!" he exclaimed, practically vibrating with enthusiasm. "The perfect costumes for everyone!"
I couldn't help but laugh at his infectious energy. "Let's see what you've got, Faris," Cam said, emerging from the back room with an indulgent smile.
Faris wasted no time. He dove into the bags, pulling out costumes one by one. "Okay, so for Sloane, I got a dragon costume!" he announced, holding up a surprisingly detailed and elegant ensemble in deep crimson and gold. "I thought it would be perfect since, you know, he can actually turn into a dragon."
Sloane raised an eyebrow but didn't protest, which I took as a good sign.
"For Fischer," Faris continued, "I found this amazing salmon costume! They didn’t have a guppy. I checked. Extensively. Even called corporate and filed a complaint. Next year, it’ll be a possibility."
Fischer chuckled, shaking his head in amusement. "How... fitting," he remarked dryly.
"Cam, I got you a Thor costume," Faris said, presenting a muscular bodysuit complete with a flowing red cape and a plastic hammer. "Because you're our Thunder Daddy, of course!"
Cam's booming laugh filled the shop as he took the costume, his green eyes twinkling.
"For my lover, Bram, I found the perfect demon costume," Faris said, pulling out a set of impressive horns and a tail. "I know you're already a demon prince, but this way the humans won't know it's real!"
Bram smirked, running a hand through his dark red hair. "Clever thinking, Faris."
Faris pinned Kai with a stare, and I already knew this was going to be good.
Kai spoke before Faris got the chance. “Let me guess. I’m a panther?”
“Don’t be ridiculous. Panther costumes aren’t easy to come by. You’re a black cat.” Faris pulled out black ears and a tail, and Kai’s entire body relaxed when he realized he was getting off relatively easy. That relief lasted all of two seconds. With a flourish, Faris produced two more items. “You’re the sexy kind of black cat.”
I clapped as I eyed the skin-tight latex catsuit and black tutu. “Ooooh, Kai, you’re going to rock that.”
“You know,” Kai said, taking the costume from Faris and examining it closer, “you’re gods damned right I am. I’m going to be the sexiest black cat this town has ever seen.”
“You’re all going to be the hottest, literal versions of yourselves.” But there was still one costume reveal to go, though I was positive I already knew the answer. “What about you, Faris? What are you wearing?”
Faris turned to me, his excitement reaching a fever pitch.
